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CrimeIndia

Bollywood stars Salman, Shah Rukh Khan receive death threats

Tanika Godbole
November 8, 2024

Actor Salman Khan has received another death threat, allegedly by a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Indian media reported. Shah Rukh Khan also received a threat earlier this week.

https://p.dw.com/p/4mmY4
Photo collage of actors Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan
Actors Shah Rukh Khan, left, and Salman Khan, right, have both received death threats demanding money this weekImage: imago images

Bollywood star Salman Khan received a death threat on Thursday, said authorities. The caller was unknown, but the threat was allegedly from a criminal gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi, said police from the western Indian city of Mumbai, where the actor resides.

The caller demanded 50 million Indian rupees (about €550,000, $592,600) from the 58-year-old actor and also threatened a lyricist who had written a song that mentions Salman and Bishnoi. Authorities said an investigation is underway.

A threat was also made against the actor on Tuesday. Police arrested the accused, identified as Bhikha Ram, a daily wage worker from Rajasthan.

"The accused was watching a regional news channel when he suddenly called the Mumbai Police control room and issued a death threat to Salman Khan. He is a daily wage worker and claims to be a fan of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi," police told PTI news agency, adding that they were investigating further.

Bishnoi, who was a wanted gangster in India, has been behind bars since 2015. Nevertheless, investigators believe he operates a gang with several members across India who are involved in extortion, smuggling drugs and weapons and murders.

In 2018, Bishnoi threatened Salman for allegedly poaching two blackbuck antelopes which is a sacred species to the Bishnoi community, to which Lawrence Bishnoi belongs.

He was believed to be the mastermind behind the killing of Mumbai politician Baba Siddique last month, who was close to Salman.

Bishnoi is also believed to be behind the murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022.

Shah Rukh Khan also receives threat

Another Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan also received a threat on Tuesday, asking for a ransom of 5 million Indian rupees. The caller identified himself as "Hindustani" or "Indian" and said he would kill Shah Rukh unless the ransom was paid. 

The Hindustan Times reported that the caller did not have the actor's number and called the local Bandra police station near the actor's residence instead. 

The two Khans are not related.

Police traced the number to a lawyer who claimed his phone had been stolen earlier.

Shah Rukh's security had been upgraded in 2023 due to threats over his recent films, Pathaan and Jawan.